Monitoring company cars has been a widespread trend among employers in recent years. Not every employee uses the car entrusted to them solely for work. The use of tracking devices, however, involves the processing of personal data. Could the imminent entry into force of the GDPR force a change or outright abolition of such practices?
Experts say the GDPR will not affect cases where employers track the movements of company vehicles during working hours. The exception will be situations where employees may also use the cars for personal use.
Experts agree that everything will more or less stay the same. However, employers need to be aware that by tracking company vehicles, they are collecting and processing data not only on employees, but often on third parties such as random pedestrians. They should therefore think in advance whether monitoring is necessary. If, for example, employees are free to choose when to use their company car to carry out their work duties, the processing of data on the movements of their cars is redundant, according to lawyers.
Similarly, if employees are allowed to use company cars for personal purposes. In cases where monitoring is still necessary, lawyers advise installing a locator in the car that employees will be able to turn off before private travel.
Employees must of course be clearly informed in advance of the installation of such a device, ideally by a sign placed directly in the vehicle in the driver’s field of vision.
If you run a company where your employees use monitored company cars and are interested in a particular situation or a specific device, please do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to advise you.